HouseBroken explained

Genre:	Animated sitcom
Country:	United States
Language:	English
Num Seasons:	2
Num Episodes:	30
Runtime:	21 minutes
Network:	Fox

HouseBroken is an American animated sitcom created by Jennifer Crittenden, Clea DuVall, and Gabrielle Allan that aired on Fox from May 31, 2021^[1] to August 6, 2023. In August 2021, the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on December 4, 2022.

In May 2024, the series was canceled after two seasons due to low ratings.

Plot

The series takes place in a world where anthropomorphic animals are capable of speech, but cannot be understood by humans. It centers on a group of pets in Los Angeles who all take part in a therapy group, led by Honey, a dog whose owner is a therapist and thus has rubbed off on her. Told from the perspective of the animals, each one having various issues that usually stem from their owners, the show details the various adventures they go on to deal with their problems.

Voice cast

Main

• Lisa Kudrow as Honey, a standard poodle mix who opens her living room for the group to come and support each other. Honey also struggles with her own problems, such as mourning the death of her best friend Big Cookie and her arranged (by her human) marriage with Chief.
• Clea DuVall as Elsa, a power-hungry, know-it-all Corgi and service dog in training — or so she claims — who drives Honey crazy. Her owner is a neglectful and oblivious young woman who only put a service vest on Elsa so that she can get away with or do things that are considered illegal without repercussions.
• Nat Faxon as
  • Chief, a sloppy and not-too-bright St. Bernard and Honey's mate who enjoys eating socks, playing in mud, and licking himself.
  • Nathan, a male blue-and-yellow macaw who is very pretentious and selfish, and enjoys tormenting others.
  • Kevin, Chico's neglectful owner. His ex-girlfriend left Chico behind when they broke up and has been with Chico ever since. Kevin worked as a flight attendant until he was fired. He's ironically revealed to be part of the Furry fandom in season 2.
• Will Forte as Shel, a tortoise with intimacy issues and a shoe fetish. He was initially in a relationship with a single croc he names "Lindsay" and was going to marry it until his mate Darla returns after 15 years.^[2] In the episode "Who Are You?", it is revealed that Shel lives with other animals but never talks about them to the group due to his narcissism. His youngest owner goes to the same elementary school Nibbles lives at.^[3] He then gets into a polyamorous relationship with Darla and Lindsay. In the episode "Who's a Bad Girl? (Part 1)", it is revealed Lindsay belongs to Xavier, Shel's original owner who forgot the shoe when he went to college. Both Shel and Darla become parents in season 2.
• Tony Hale as
  • Diablo, an anxious, sweater-wearing mixed-breed Terrier with OCD. He became Big Cookie's replacement in the session group.^[4] His owners are divorced and share joint custody of him. However, in "Who Are You?", his owners decide to let him pick his forever home, and he ultimately decides to live with his "father." His "mother" is revealed to be Jewish in season 2 as he both wears Christmas and Hanukkah-themed clothing. A running gag involves him being mistaken for other species.
  • Max, George Clooney's Berkshire Pig, a former actor and current status obsessed narcissist.^[4] He is named after George Clooney's real life pig who died in 2006. This is brought up in the episode "Who Are You?" when Max realizes there was another pig named Max before him and is essentially his replacement.^[3] In the episode "Who's a Bad Girl? (Part 1)", he is sent to live with Ray Liotta. In season 2, he starts living with David Spade.
• Sharon Horgan as Tabitha, a 15-year-old Persian cat and a retired beauty queen, trying to adjust to life off the cat show circuit.^[4] She speaks with a Russian accent. She initially lives with her owners Stelios and Brett and a younger cat named Kit-Kat. In the fourth episode, consumed by jealousy at her owners giving more attention to Kit-Kat than they do to her, she runs away from home and starts living at a cat cafe. Tabitha eventually hates it after someone at the cafe tried to catnap her and starts living with The Gray One and other cats in the seventh episode. Tabitha and The Gray One become a couple in the ninth episode. She eventually reunites with her owners in the tenth episode.
• Jason Mantzoukas as The Gray One, a street-smart Russian Blue who lives with about forty or sixty other cats and has a crush on Tabitha who wouldn't give him the time of day.^[4] He is missing an eye and riddled with diseases. His owner is Madge, an old cat lady, and hoarder who never leaves her house except when she participates in cat shows. The Gray One and Tabitha become a couple in the ninth episode.
• Sam Richardson as Chico, a chunky, co-dependent and very naive tabby cat.^[4] He considers his owner Kevin to be his best friend though his feelings for him are more than platonic. In the episode "Who's a Good Therapist?", it is revealed that he is pregnant and gave birth to eight kittens during a therapy session which Elsa was in charge of. His kittens were given away for adoption in the episode "Who's Getting Cold Feet?" It also turns out his pregnancy was the result of him mating with a male cat.^[2] In the season 1 finale "Who's a Bad Girl? (Part 2)", it is revealed his owner is a flight attendant and Chico actually belonged to Kevin's ex-girlfriend Dana before she abandoned him. In the episode "Who's a Homeowner", it's revealed that Chico's original name was Prince, and used to live with a man named Lonnie who turns out to be a serial killer.
• Tchotchke, a slow loris who does not speak, but communicates via body language and a cocktail umbrella, which he appears to have an attachment to. He lives in Jill's shed. In the second season episode "Who's a Scaredy Cat?", it is revealed that Tchotchke was owned by Justin Bieber who then abandoned him. He had a group of exotic pets who were abandoned by their owners live in Jill's basement.^[5]

Recurring

• Maria Bamford as
  • Jill, Honey and Chief's human owner.^[4] She works as a therapist.
  • Darla, Shel's mate who returned after she was missing for 15 years.
  • Small Fun Raccoon, one of Raccoon's friends.
• Greta Lee as Bubbles, a horny, teenage goldfish who lives with Honey and Chief. She heckles the other animals.^[4] It is revealed in the episode "Who Are You?" that she is not the first Bubbles. Bubbles' role is significantly reduced in season 2 as she mostly has non-speaking appearances.
• Bresha Webb as Nibbles, a psychopathic hamster who is mourning the loss of her mate (whom she killed).^[4] She is a classroom pet for a third grade classroom.
• Brian Tyree Henry as Armando, a wild coyote who Honey has a crush on.
• Timothy Simons as Raccoon, a wild raccoon that loves the outdoors, and willing to show everyone that they have their wild sides inside.
• Michaela Dietz as Kit-Kat, a cat that lives with Tabitha. Initially non-speaking, she gains a more prominent speaking role in season 2. Kit-Kat starts out as a kitten but is aged-up to the feline equivalent of a teenager in season 2.

Guest

• Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell as Rutabaga and Juliet, respectively, an ideal dog couple that Honey is jealous of.
• Anna Faris as Lil' Bunny, an Afghan Hound, and the dog of a social media influencer who Honey befriends in an epic game of frisbee on the beach.
  • Faris has also voiced Chartreuse in "Who's a Good Therapist?".
• Sarah Cooper as Lenny
• Nicole Byer as Larrabee
• Ben Schwartz as Brice, an Unnamed cat, and Bunny Paul.
• Cathy Moriarty (Season 1) and Kathleen Turner (Season 2) as Nancy, Nathan's owner and Jill's mother, who openly despises the latter.
• Nicole Sullivan as Little Cookie, the new puppy of Jill's neighbors.
  • Others
• Paul F. Tompkins as Ray Liotta
• David Spade as Himself
• Donald Faison as Illinois James
• Phil LaMarr and Maddie Corman as Guernico and Caravaggio
• Mary Holland as Ruby
• Jimmy Tatro as Trey
• Pedro Pascal as Claude
• Fred Armisen as DJ
• Natasha Lyonne as Oliver
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Boaracle
• Brie Larson as Bowie
• James McAvoy as Stan
• Melanie Lynskey as Pinky
• Cynthia Erivo as Ferris
• Nicole Richie as Mama Cass
• Molly Ringwald as Milly
• Bowen Yang as Lonnie Shenkman
• Steve-O as Banshee
• Andrew Rannells as Ennis
• Thomas Lennon as Pony Ferrari

Episodes

Season 2 (2022–23)

Production

Development

The show's early working title was Therapy Dog.^[6] On December 19, 2019, Fox ordered the show to series. HouseBroken is created by Clea DuVall, Jennifer Crittenden, and Gabrielle Allan who were expected to executive produce alongside Sharon Horgan, Clelia Mountford, Aaron Kaplan, and Dana Honor.^[7] On August 9, 2021, Fox renewed the series for a second season.^[8] On May 10, 2024, Fox canceled the series after two seasons, as the viewership was not as strong as the network had hoped.^{[9] [10]}

Casting

Alongside the initial series announcement, Lisa Kudrow, Clea DuVall, Nat Faxon, Will Forte, Tony Hale, Sharon Horgan, Jason Mantzoukas, and Sam Richardson were cast as series regulars.^[7]

Broadcast

HouseBroken premiered on May 31, 2021, on Fox.^[11] In Canada, it airs on Much.^[12] In Australia, it streams on Paramount+.^[13] The second season premiered on December 4, 2022, with two Christmas-themed episodes and resumed on March 26, 2023.^{[14] [15]}

Reception

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 50% based on 10 critic reviews, with an average rating of 4.5/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Housebroken boasts an insanely talented voice cast—if only its basic writing would learn some new narrative tricks."^[16] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[17]

Ratings

Season 2

No DVR ratings are available after the second episode.

Accolades

The series was nominated for Best Limited Series Animated Television/Media Production at the 50th Annie Awards.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Fox Leashes Up House Pet Comedy 'Housebroken'. Animation Magazine. Mercedes. Milligan. December 20, 2019. June 13, 2021. June 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624092430/https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/fox-leashes-up-house-pet-comedy-housebroken/. live.
2. Web site: Watch HouseBroken S1 E6 Who's Gett. Fox Broadcasting Company. July 13, 2021. July 19, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210719090502/https://www.fox.com/watch/b41e645ea496484c7e92e3d303bd61f3/. live.
3. Web site: Clip: Nibbles Returns in New 'HouseBroken' (and Tortoise TMI). Milligan. Mercedes. Animation Magazine. August 6, 2021. August 9, 2021. August 10, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210810011337/https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/clip-nibbles-returns-in-new-housebroken-and-tortoise-tmi/. live.
4. Animation Expands to Mondays This Summer on Fox. FoxFlash. March 2, 2021. June 13, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210520010927/https://www.foxflash.com/releases/view/animation-expands-to-mondays-this-summer-on-fox. May 20, 2021. live.
5. Web site: Review: Housebroken "Who's a Scaredy Cat?" . 3 April 2023 . April 3, 2023 . April 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230403184248/https://www.bubbleblabber.com/review-housebroken-whos-a-scaredy-cat/?amp=1 . live .
6. Web site: Fox Gives Series Order to Animated Comedy 'Housebroken'. TheWrap. Sippell. Margeaux. December 19, 2019. June 13, 2021. June 14, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210614022900/https://www.thewrap.com/fox-gives-series-order-to-animated-comedy-housebroken/. live.
7. Web site: Fox Orders 'Housebroken' Animated Comedy Series Starring Lisa Kudrow From Sharon Horgan, Clea Duvall, Jennifer Crittenden, Gabrielle Allan & Kapital. Deadline Hollywood. Nellie. Andreeva. December 19, 2019. January 8, 2020. December 27, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201227035655/https://deadline.com/2019/12/fox-housebroken-animated-comedy-series-starr-lisa-kudrow-sharon-horgan-clea-duvall-jennifer-crittenden-gabrielle-allan-kapital-entertainment-1202814013/. live.
8. Web site: 'Housebroken' Renewed for Season 2 at Fox. Variety. Joe. Otterson. August 9, 2021. August 9, 2021. August 9, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210809180525/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/housebroken-renewed-season-2-fox-1235037488/. live.
9. Web site: 'Housebroken' Canceled At Fox After Two Seasons. Deadline Hollywood. Peter. White. May 10, 2024. May 10, 2024. May 10, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240510213505/https://deadline.com/2024/05/housebroken-canceled-fox-1235911735/. live.
10. Web site: FOX Cancels 'HouseBroken,' 'Scavengers Reign' Moves to Netflix after Max Axe. Animation Magazine. Animation Magazine. May 10, 2024. May 29, 2024.
11. Web site: Fox Sets Summer Premiere Dates For New Animated Comedy 'Housebroken', 'Duncanville' Season 2. Deadline Hollywood. Denise. Petski. March 2, 2021. June 13, 2021. April 14, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210414205551/https://deadline.com/2021/03/fox-premiere-date-animated-comedy-housebroken-lisa-kudrow-duncanville-1234704828/. live.
12. Web site: HouseBroken - Watch Full-Length Episodes On MUCH . 2023-08-13 . www.ctv.ca . August 13, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230813171931/https://www.ctv.ca/shows/housebroken . live .
13. ParamountPlusAU. How PAWesome! #HouseBroken is now streaming on Paramount+. 1469441801975058432. August 17, 2022.
14. Everyone's Favorite Group of Neighborhood Animals Returns for Two Special "Housebroken" Holiday Episodes December 4th. Fox. The Futon Critic. November 1, 2022. November 1, 2022. May 10, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240510233331/http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2022/11/01/everyones-favorite-group-of-neighborhood-animals-returns-for-two-special-housebroken-holiday-episodes-december-4th-953311/20221101fox01. live.
15. "Housebroken" Returns for Season Two on Sunday, March 26th. Fox. The Futon Critic. March 1, 2023. March 25, 2023. May 10, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240510233337/http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2023/03/01/housebroken-returns-for-season-two-on-sunday-march-26th-772412/20230301fox03/. live.
16. Web site: HouseBroken: Season 1 (2021). Rotten Tomatoes. July 19, 2021.
17. Web site: HouseBroken: Season 1. Metacritic. June 21, 2021.